Establishment of identity of powdered drugs depends on the microscopic recognition of characteristic cell types and cell contents. Microscopic analysis is indispensable for the identification of the correct species and/or the right plant part that is to be present. For example, pollen morphology may be used in the case of flowers to identify the species…

For whole drugs, macroscopic/sensory evaluation is usually enough for the drugs to be identified. Visual inspection in terms of shape, size, surface characteristics, colour, consistency, odour, taste, fracture and appearance of the cut surface of the drug provide the simplest and quickest means to establish its identity, purity and even quality. Comparison with the authentic…

Herbal ingredients must be authenticated by correct identification of their botanical source referred by their Latin binomial. Different batches of herbal materials may still be subject to inter-and intra-species variation. Other related information required are synonyms, vernacular names, parts of the plant used for each preparation and detailed instructions for agricultural production and collection conditions as…

Source and quality of the raw material is an important determinant in the quality control and standardization of herbal drugs. Such variations multiply during storage and further processing. Due to the inherent variability of plant material, batch-to-batch variation starts from the collection of raw material. Using cultivated plants under controlled conditions instead of those collected…

The last two decades has seen a significant increase in the use of herbal medicines. Plant materials are employed throughout the industrialized and developing world as home remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry. As a result of WHO’s promotion of traditional medicine, countries have been seeking the assistance of the organization…

Standardization is the process of prescribing a set of standards or inherent characteristics, constant parameters, definitive qualitative and quantitative values that carry an assurance of quality, efficacy, safety and reproducibility. It is the process of developing and agreeing upon technical standards. Specific standards are worked out by experimentation and observations, which would lead to the…

Using herbs as medicine is the oldest form of health care known to humanity and to this day over 80% of the world population depends on herbal medicines and products for healthy living. There is increasing awareness and general acceptability of the use of herbal drugs in today’s medical practice. Medicinal plants constitute a source…